Well that didn’t take long. After winning the Memorial Cup in 2012, the Shawinigan Cataractes are re-tooled and are in position to win the East Division. Their quest for division supremacy is helped by an expected regression from Québec and Rimouski after their division rivals went head-to-head in the President Cup final last season. For the two seasons prior to that, Baie-Comeau was a top team. With those three teams expected to regress this season, a talented Shawinigan team should shine.
Prediction
First in the East Division. Led by Anthony Beauvillier and Dennis Yan up front, and a strong blueine, the Cataractes are serious contenders this season.
Forwards
Shawinigan has one of the scariest top-six attacks in the league. Anthony Beauvillier tore up the competition in his second season, finding the back of the net 42 times and obliterating his rookie total of nine in the process. He’s a wizard with the puck, using his hockey sense and speed to create scoring chances. Selected by the New York Islanders 28th overall in June, Beauvillier will challenge for the league scoring title in his third season.
Such a real big honnor being named Captain of the oldest @LHJMQ franchise ! Can’t wait to get the season started! #GoCatsGo@Cataractes_Shaw
— Anthony Beauvillier (@titobeauvi21) August 5, 2015
American and Russian dual-citizen Dennis Yan also made goal scoring look easy in his rookie season, sharing the rookie lead with 33. Yan got better as the season progressed, scoring eight goals in March and another seven in the first round of the playoffs. With more strength, he’ll become a difficult player to contain.
They’ll be even more dangerous if Alexander Dergachev comes over from Russia. The 6-foot-4, 225-lb. forward is a third-round pick of the Los Angles Kings and is absent from NHL camp as well, making it hard to predict if he’ll play in North America this season.
Other proven weapons with at least 20 goals last season include Gabriel Slight, Alexis D’Aoust and Giovanni Fiore.
Defence
While the firepower up front gets the most attention, the blueline quietly was one of the best units in the league last season. They allowed 214 goals, third fewest in the league, and many of those pieces are back again this season. Samuel Girard, the third overall pick of the 2014 draft, led rookie defenders with 43 points.
Jocktan Chainey, drafted 14th overall, made the team as a 16-year-old and is off to a good start with two assists and a plus-two rating through two games.
The steady Nicholas Welsh returns along with 20-year-olds Alexandre Coulombe and Zachary Taylor.
Goaltending
European goaltenders are no longer eligible for the CHL Import draft, but the Cataractes have a rookie Russian between the pipes. Mikhail Denisov played last season with the under-16 Boston Jr. Bruins and has been in North America since the end of the 2013-2014 season. This allowed Shawinigan to draft him in the second round of the regular Q draft as he was considered a North American player in the QMJHL’s territory.
He’s joined in the crease by Frédéric Foulem, who decommited from Harvard to join the Cataractes this season. Antonie Samuel rounds out a crowded crease.
First game first win in QMJHL,thanks boys for this beauty #GoCatsGo pic.twitter.com/5wR4JbAQ6O
— Mikhail Denisov (@MishaDenisov42) September 13, 2015
NHL prospect watch
Dennis Yan, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning (2015, 64th overall)
Dennis Yan had first-round potential heading into the draft, giving the Tampa Bay Lightning a potential steal at the start of the third round. Despite a 33 goal rookie season, Yan wasn’t invited to the United States junior evaluation camp. If he keeps on scoring in the Q, he’ll be hard to ignore.
NHL draft watch
Samuel Girard, D
It didn’t take long for Samuel Girard to take on an important role with the Cats as a 16-year-old rookie. The third pick of the 2014 draft, Girard finished the season playing on the power play and shorthanded. The top rookie defender with 43 points, expect big things from Girard as he sets up goal with elite forwards in front of him. At 5-foot-9, 165-lbs., Girard is lacking in the size department. Instead he relies on his shiftiness, hockey intelligence and skill to make his presence felt.
